Inherent within us is a strength called challenge originally...

Inherent within us is a strength called challenge originally
We should always give it its due
Frustrate our emotions with open eyes
Blatant awareness
Growth is pain in its time
A shock
Of abnormality for your day •

Growth hurts. The stretching and straining, painful. And although the lessons are invaluable, the act of growing is not fun. There are many tears and waking hours stuck in bed involved. There is much kicking and screaming along the way.

While we want to get to the other side of the lesson, the journey there can feel like momentary torture. But we stay here, living, because we know that dawn is only a few hours away. It has always been this way, we must keep in mind. The sun will rise in due time; it always has. All that we must do is breathe, and if necessary, hold ourselves as we wait — and sometimes fight — for the light.

Because life's lessons are not chosen. Who knows who is out there — God(s), the great spirit, the universe — who knows. But what I am aware of is that there is a connectedness with all things. We make goals, not always knowing the way. And something leads us there via these life lessons, which encompass much loss and much grief, but there is always so much more joy — the joy coming about once we realized that wow: "If I can survive that, I can survive anything."

Finally, we can say: "I am here on the other side, and everything that I experienced — although I wish I had not — everything that I went through was worth it." Because the joy on the other side is lustrous. If we can wait, and sometimes fight to get there, the joy on the other side is worth it. Always, always, worth it.

I hope we can all remember that. •

Poem from Four Years in Chrysalis
© Aisha Tariqa Abdul Haqq Publishing
Follow @AishaTariqa for more original poetry •